So You've Graduated - Now What?

Take a look at this article from the official LinkedIn blog. This is helpful to all who just graduated this last May and to all who are curious about steps to take after graduation. LinkedIn is a great professional tool while starting out your career. Here are some tips on how to better utilize LinkedIn.

http://blog.linkedin.com/2013/06/06/three-ways-recent-grads-can-leverage-linkedin-for-long-term-success/

-Elaine

Welcome Back!

Welcome back everyone! I hope you enjoyed winter break but set some time aside to do some career searching and informational interviews. This break I got a chance to talk to a few people regarding careers and grad schools. One person in particular was David. He is Executive Vice President at Bank of Hawaii and has worked in many different industries, located in places including California, New York and Hawaii. Through talking with him he gave me a lot of insight on career paths and grad school options. But most important he gave me two things that that stood out in my mind. 

1. Make sure your decisions align with your life. 

- This sounds like the normal thing to do but when you think about it most people do not. David stated that your decisions should align with your career goals, life, family, friends, wants, needs, happiness and even religion. He also believes that your first real boss after your undergraduate degree is going to make the largest impact on you, good or bad. 

2. Write your goals down. 

- This is another thing most people think they do, but most cases not true. People have goals in their mind but never write them down. David stated that when you write it down the “magic happens,” he believes you should keep these goals in your wallet and once a year reflect on them, than set new ones for the following year. 

After meeting with David, I took his advice to heart. I wrote my goals down and looked at what the future may have in store for me. I also started to prepare for the decisions I will have to make, to be happy.

So if you did or did not get a chance to do some informational interviews this winter break take the time this semester to reach out to a few people that may interest you. Although your education is important now your network is important for your future. 

Questions regarding informational interviews stop by our office on the UC 5floor for drop in hours. 

Aloha, 

Nate

Part 2: Fall Career Fair - Where it all began...

The Fall Career Fair we hosted in early October was the perfect opportunity for me to overcome my fear and begin the search for a real internship. It helped that 1) I worked the event as a Student Assistant for CSC so I had to be there and 2) that I had the physical support of one of my closest friends going around with me to the different tables as I asked questions, learned about the companies and picked up their free goodies! One organization in particular I had never heard about and I sincerely wanted to know who they were and what they did. Little did I know, that moment of intrigue was going to start the phenomena our counselors like to refer to as  

planned happenstance.

And it all started with the question: "Can you tell me a little bit more about what indeed.com does?"

I really enjoyed the enthusiasm and energy Sara, the recruiter, had as she explained that indeed.com is the #1 search engine for jobs (the Google of job searching, if you will). She went on to tell me how they were recruiting for a few sales interns at their Mountain View location. We small talked about school and other things and at the end of our conversation she asked for my resume. I had not gone prepared with any copies since I was working the event so she gave me her business card and told me to email it to her.

It's one thing to be super in the moment and really excited/determined to apply right then and there and it's another thing when you leave the hype of the moment and get back to your daily routine and have time to think about or simply forget about things... that was my issue. After the fair I was so tired I did not want to think about resumes or employers or anything CSC related. (This is actually pretty typical for everyone in the office after a major fair... :p )

The few days after the Career Fair, the critical period for following through with an employer, were days of hesitation and procrastination for me.

Coming Next... Part 3: The Hesitation and The Screening

Job Search & LinkedIn Workshop!

Don't miss the Job Search & LinkedIn Workshop!

In today's job market, it is absolutely essential to have a complete LinkedIn profile and know how to use LinkedIn to your utmost advantage. Come get tips and tricks for navigating LinkedIn, as well as other job search strategies.  Lynn Butler, one of LinkedIn's Top 100 Influencers, will be co-presenting on how recruiters utilize LinkedIn to find qualified candidates.
Wednesday, November 14
5:00 pm
Maier Room, Fromm Hall

Check out the presenters LinkedIn profiles:

www.linkedin.com/in/ellenkellydaley
www.linkedin.com/pub/lynn-butler/0/53a/15b

Sponsored by the USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center
www.usfca.edu/career
415-422-6216


- Nate

CAREERS IN FINANCE

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2012 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

WHERE: FROMM HALL BERMAN ROOM

A panel of business professionals discuss their career paths and success strategies. 

Topics include: 

• Is now a good time to be starting a career in the financial sector? 
• What types of internships are important? 
• What's life really like in the world of finance? 
• What are the current financial career trends? 
• What are the different career options in finance? 
• How important is an MBA or CFA?
• What does it take to make it in investment banking? 
• What is essential daily reading for your career? 

Please feel free to leave early or arrive late if you need to come from or get to a class!

Aloha,
Nate

Summer Internship

Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone had a great summer, got some work experience (internship/jobs) and had the opportunity to expand their network. I personally had a amazing, stressful and intense summer. I was looking for something not too intense or difficult,... but received the opportunity to work at Bank of Hawaii, ranked #1 in "Americas Best Banks" by Forbes. I worked in the Hawaii Branch and Business Banking Division for the bank as a summer intern. This was a great learning experience where the bank spent a lot of time and money on us interns with high expectations. The bank flew in many people from around the world to talk to us about different things including "managing younger people" and explaining the importance of lending. But with these great experience came long, 10-12 hour days and a lot of time outside of work to complete task and prepare for the next day. Competition was also high between the interns, who came from very prestigious college/universities. I would highly recommend this internship to anyone from Hawaii looking to go back home for a summer, who is looking to challenge themselves but also foresees that the opportunities could be endless. Overall it was an amazing summer networking with many different people and expanding both my knowledge and personal skills. 

Tell us about your summer and email us at: careerplanningpeer@usfca.edu 

We would love to post more experiences of other students and their accomplishments!

Aloha, 

Nate

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to school!

I hope everyone had a great first week and is ready for an amazing semester. We have a lot going on this semester, from On Campus Interviews to the Non-profit Expo. Below is a listing of the many activities we will have this semester. 

Career Fairs:

- Non-profit Expo; Thursday September 6th, 2012, 11:30am-2:00pm, Gleeson Plaza

- Fall Career Fair (Career/Grad Fair); Tuesday October 16th, 2012, 11:00am-2:00pm, Gleeson Plaza

Info Sessions & Tables: 

- Peace Corps; Tuesday September 18^th, Wednesday, October 17th; Wednesday November 7th, and Thursday November 8th, all on the UC 5th Floor

- Across the Pond; Tuesday October 2nd, 2012 10:30am - 2:30pm, UC 2nd Floor Market Cafe

- Aspire Public Schools; Wednesday October 3rd, 2012, 12:00pm-1:00pm, UC 503

- FactSet Research; Thursday October 4th, 2012, 6:00pm-7:00p, UC 503

On-Campus Interviews: 

- Deloitte - resume due Sept. 19th, 2012; Wednesday October 3rd, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Burson - Marstellar - resume due Sept. 4; Tuesday September 18th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- KPMG - resume due Sept. 17; Monday October 1st, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Deloitte - resume due Sept. 19; Wednesday October 3rd, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Rothstein Kass & Co. - resume due Sept. 20; Thursday October 4th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- FactSet Research - resume due Sept. 21; Friday October 5th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Sensiba San Filippo - resume due Sept. 25; Wednesday October 10th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Armanino McKenna - resume due Sept. 27; Thursday October 11th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Hood & Strong - resume due Sept. 28; Friday October 12th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Novogradic & Company LLP- resume due Oct. 1; Monday October 15th, 2012, 9:00am-     

  5:00pm

- Grant Thornton - resume due Oct. 3; Wednesday October 17th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Consolidated Electrical Distributor - Stop by their table at the Fall Career Fair on Oct. 16th

  for a chance to interview on Thursday October 18th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- OUM and Co. LLP - resume due Oct. 4; Thursday October 18th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Pricewaterhouse Coopers - resume due Oct. 2; Friday October 19th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- EisnerAmper LLP - resume due Oct. 8; Monday October 22nd, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Seiler & Company - resume due Oct. 10; Wednesday, October 24th, 9:00am-5:00pm

- DZH Phillips - resume due Oct. 11; Thursday October 25th, 9:00am-5:00pm

- The Travelers Companies Inc. - resume due Oct. 15; Monday October 29th, 9:00am-5:00pm

- AT&T - resume due Oct. 25; Thursday November 8th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

Workshops Events: 

- Resume and Cover Letter Workshops; Tuesday September 18th, 2012, 5:00pm-6:00pm,

   Fromm Hall Maier Room

- Resume Review Day; 12:00pm-1:30pm, UC 1st Floor 

     Thursday October 11, 2012 

     Friday October 12, 2012 

     Monday October 15, 2012 

     Tuesday February 26, 2013

     Wednesday February 27, 2013

     Thursday February 28, 2012 

- Career in Finance; Wednesday November 7th, 2012, 5:30pm-7:00pm, Fromm Hall Berman  

  Room

- Job Search and LinkedIn Workshop; Wednesday November 14th, 2012, 5:00pm-6:00pm,

  Fromm Hall Maier Room

To find more details click the link Career Services Website and then click the Events tab. 

Hope you are all excited about this new semester! 

Aloha, 

Nate  

Interviewing Questions

Hi Guys,

I know "On Campus Interviews" have begun and everyone is trying to prepare but I wanted to share an article I just read on Yahoo YAHOO ARTICLE . This article could possibly help you out and give you insight on some questions you might be asked during an interview. The article title is "10 Companies with the Toughest Interview Questions" and it talks about what companies are known for their extremely hard questions.

For example at Red Ventures they ask their interviewees questions like "If you were an animal, what animal would you be?" or even "Tell me a joke."  There are also companies like Bain that ask questions like "What is the revenue of an inner city Sydney gym?" for an associate consultant position. Its a really interesting article that takes interviewing to a new level so take a look! If you need any help with interview preparation or just want to talk about interviewing, you know where to come the CAREER SERVICE CENTER on the UC 5th floor for drop in hours 11am - 2pm Monday through Friday. Also check out the new tab on your USF Connect account called “My Career Plan” for some interesting internships and hot jobs!!

Aloha,

Nate

Summer!!!

Aloha Everyone,

Welcome back to school! I hope everyone is looking forward to the new school year! Time to seems to be flying, I can't believe I am a junior already. So how was everyone's summer? Well I just wanted to give you all a heads up on how my summer went.
This summer I went to New York/New Jersey and interned at Northeast Private Client Group in May and June. They are a smaller private advising company, with higher end clients compared to bigger companies like Fidelity and Northwestern Mutual. It was a great learning experience and I gained so much from the people there. I attended appointments and meetings with the president and a few of the directors. I also put together financial portfolios and serviced the clients needs. During my last days at the company I was offered a job with the company upon graduation. They stated that I would work in New York for a few months to a year than move to Hawaii to create a new client base.
Many internships turn into jobs so I would suggest putting your best foot forward at all times, because you never know what could happen. I also would recommend if you're ever given the opportunity to take a job in New York, to take it. It is an extrodinary experience and a world on its own. So break out of your comfort zone and try something new, something different and grow. Not to mention it would be something great to put on your resume.
After interning with Northeast Private Client Group I came back home to Hawaii in June and interned at the Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau(HVCB), under the Hawaii Tourism Authority for the rest of the summer. It was also another great experience meeting people in Tourism and working in Waikiki. At HVCB I got to work on a few projects dealing with the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) that is coming in November and a new project that I created which was a green meeting planners guide for Hawaii coming out next quarter.
On weekends or when I had free time I would spend time with family and friends eating at all the local spots or going to the beach. It was an amazing summer and I gained so much experience and a better perspective of the world. So get out there and look for those internships and if you need any help come into our office in the UC building 5th floor for some advising.

I hope everyone had a great, fun filled summer!

Aloha,

Nate

THANK YOU LETTERS!!!

Thank you letters! How important do you think they are? To be honest, they are extremely important and believe it or not most people never think of writing a thank you letter after an interview. There are a couple of reasons why they are so important. First, it is a great way to show gratitude and thank the employer/recruiter for taking the time out of his or her day to meet with you. Second, which is the most important reason, is a thank you letter puts your name and face back into their minds when they are trying to make a decision on who to choose for the vacant position. Third, it shows you want the job while giving you a last chance to say a few things that you might not have mentioned in the interview. Lastly, if the position comes down to two people that have the same qualifications and one wrote a thank you letter and the other did not, most times than none the applicant with the thank you letter will receive the job.  

When writing a thank you letter you want to write it as soon as possible after your interview. It might also be smart to send them a thank you email as well the day after the interview just in case your letter gets lost. In the thank you letter you want to include when your interview was, what you talked about, something you never mentioned, and that you are still interested in the position. 

After thinking about what you need in your thank you letter, the question now becomes should I hand write it or type it. This is a very controversial issue. It honestly depends on the employer and what they like. I personally will always send hand written thank you cards because it is more personal and that’s who I want them to remember me by. For me the hand written thank you letter has helped me numerous of times in getting jobs and internships because the employer liked how personal I made them. But on the other hand some people like the professional thank you letter, typed and printed on resume paper. So when it comes down to it, it is ultimately up to you unless you are in KO's Hospitality class where it is required to type your professional thank you letters for the class. So ultimately decide depending on the situation you are in and no matter what you choose your thoughts and considerations in writing the thank you letter is more than enough! If you need some help writing them or want us to look over your thank you letters bring them in to drop in hours Monday-Friday 11am-2pm located on the 5th floor! 

Aloha- Nate

ELEVATOR PITCH!!!

Have you ever wanted to approach someone and talk to them at a career fair, group networking event, or even at a random venue like an elevator but did not know what to say? Or even what to do? Do not worry you're not the only one; this is one of the toughest things to do. Everyone has some kind of problem when they are trying to pull words out of thin air, while feeling comfortable when introducing and talking to their ideal employer or business partner. The perfect way to solve this problem is to create an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is normally a 15 to 30 second speech or pitch of who you are, what you do, why you're the best, and your call to action. This short summary speech of who you are will help break the ice and start communication in the lines of a possible job opportunity or future business endeavors.

The elevator pitch got its name because individuals who were seeking a job or future business endeavors would try and get into an elevator with a executive. In doing so they had a opportunity to talk to the executive from the first floor to the ideal top floor with no interruptions and no possible way for the executive to get out of the conversation. The elevator pitch can be used whenever you are meeting anyone but was ideally to get your foot in the door and land yourself a job. It is a great way to introduce yourself and give a summary of who you are. So if want to create one but do not know where to begin, this website will help. It is a basic template where you answer questions and it formats your elevator pitch for you. Website: http://www.15secondpitch.com/new/index.asp But it is essential to be prepared before attending an event and you should practice your elevator pitch now because you never know when it might become useful. So if you need any help creating your specialized elevator pitch, come into our office on the UC 5th floor during drop in hours which are 11am to 2pm Monday through Friday. Your elevator pitch could possibly land you a job that you could never imagine! 

Aloha- Nate

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS!!!

Hi All, 

I know its midterm week and everyone has test, papers, and projects due before spring breaks hits. But it is also a great time to prepare and set up some INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS with people to gain information about something you're interested in or even expand your networking for future endeavors. I will be going back to Hawaii for spring break and have set up a few informational interviews with professionals in financial based occupations. Its quite easy to set one up and can be done with any free time you have, not just only over breaks. All you need to do is search for members of professional associations in the industries your interested in or network and contact a family friend that is in interest field of work. You can basically contact everyone and anyone that might interest you. 

So you might ask why set up a informational interview? There are a lot of reasons, including learning firsthand what it is like to do a particular kind of work at a particular organization, or to develop contacts in key positions with people who hire or who make recommendations, or to even find out about jobs and career paths you did not know exist. 

Once you have found a possible informational interview contact them and tell your contact that you are in the process of making some decisions about your career, and you want to learn more about his or her field. In particular, you want to learn whether, and how, someone with your background might enter and succeed in that field. But always remember you are not yet in a job search! After giving your contact some background information and a brief summary of what you want to know. Ask the professional to meet either in their office or over Starbucks or Jamba Juice. 

Once you have set the informational interview, prepare questions but remember that you are NOT asking this person for a job. An example question would be: In the position you now hold, what do you do in a typical day? But for more information come into CSC to check out some handouts for possible questions on Informational interviews on the UC 5th Floor or check out the PDF on our website: http://usfca.edu/uploadedFiles/Destinations/Offices_and_Services/CSC/docs/Informational%20Interviews.pdf. Also don't forget to offer to pay for Starbucks or Jamba Juice because your contact did take time out of his or her day to meet with you and don't forget thank you card, thank you card, send a hand written thank you card, thanking them for taking time out of their day to talk to you. Let them know you want to keep in touch. 

So set those INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS UP!

Aloha- Nate

NETWORKING DOES WORK!!!

Hey All,

Are you guys looking for a job or an internship? Have you heard of those ridiculous stories of how a friend of a friend got an internship by networking and didn't believe it? Tell me about it, I heard about them all the time. But guess what? Most of the time they are true, NETWORKING DOES WORK!

For me personally I have received 2 great internships by networking. Statistically about 80% of people that receive a job/internship receive them because they have networked or know someone that knows someone, essentially networking. I received my first internship by letting people know that I was looking for in internship, which is a great way to start networking. After a few emails and a few calls around, my dad's friend contacted me back with a family friend of his who was looking for an intern over the summer. It turned out perfectly. I received great experience and my network grew to a pretty large group in Hawaii.

My second internship is based on the idea you never know who you might meet and what a thank you card could do for you, ANYTHING COULD TURN INTO AN OPPORTUNITY. It started off when my uncle visited me in San Francisco and took me with him to a conference in Napa Valley. My thought was to hangout at the pool and have a good time in Napa while my uncle attended meetings. As I started to relax a man approached me and asked if the waiter had messed my order up and we both realized that I had his burger and he had mine. WE started talking about all kinds of stuff from sports to career options to school, after a while he told me that he was a partner in a finical advising firm. We hit it off and before I left I got his card. So a few days later I come back into the city and send him a hand written thank you card, thanking him for talking. A few weeks later I get a call from him and he offers me an internship. He stated that this internship would include spending the day by his side working with him on hedge funds, multi-million dollar accounts, and customer relationships in New York City. Which turned into a great opportunity and experience. 

You honestly will never know who you might meet or what they might have to offer, so be ready for anything that might come your way. If you want to learn more about networking come to our office located at UC 5th floor. We have some handouts or check our website for events on mentorships or networking. NETWORKING DOES WORK!!! and hand written thank you cards do work.

Aloha, 

Nate

Career and Internship Fair Prep

The Career Fair is fast approaching. Are you ready for it?

If not, don't fret! Here's four easy steps to get yourself prepared:

Step 1: See who's coming
Do you research. Check out the full list of all employers who will be attending the 23rd annual Career and Internship Fair. Decide who you want to talk to, and check out their websites for more detailed information  and the positions they might be hiring for.

Step 2: Get your resume reviewed
This week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we will have real recruiters down in Parina Lounge to review your resumes from 12 - 1:30pm. If they're packed, you're always welcome to come in for drop-ins every day (except for Career Fair day of course!) from 11am-2pm. Don't miss this opportunity.

Step 3: Attend our Career Fair Prep Workshop
Tomorrow night (March 2nd), from 5:30-7pm in the Fromm Maier Room, we will have a panel of real recruiters there to answer your questions about what they want to see at the career fair. Not sure what types of questions you should ask at the fair? Don't know how to dress? What better way to find out than from the recruiters themselves.

Step 4: Attend the fair
Come dressed to impress, bring several copies of your resume on nice resume quality paper (can be found in the bookstore or any office supply place), and have questions prepared. Know who you're going to talk to, introduce yourself, ask about the positions available, show that you did your research on the company, and most of all be enthusiastic.

Simple enough? Great. I'll be seeing you there!

-Sarah

The 23rd Annual Career and Internship Fair

Can you feel it in the air? It's my favorite time of year again. What, you ask? Why, the career and internship season of course. The time of year when students finishing their degrees begin to seriously question "what's next", and when all the underclassmen start contemplating how and when to get the best experience for their resume. It's daunting, yes, but it's also quite exciting. A world of possibilities is open at your feet.

We here at career services want to help make this time as easy and straight-forward as possible. This is where our annual Career and Internship Fair comes into play. What easier way to network and find out about internship or job opportunities than by having all the employee-seeking companies here for you, under one roof? No easier way, that's what. So make sure you take advantage of this opportunity!

When: Friday, March 4th, 11am - 3pm
Where: McLaren Complex
What: 50+ employers in the health, financial, tech, hospitality, public, nonprofit, education, fashion, and marketing industries.  Find the full of employers list here.

Important Info: Make sure you bring several copies of your resume, do your research on interesting companies before attending the fair, and dress to impress.

I'll be writing another post in a few days with more details on how to best prepare, so keep an eye out. Until then, keep this fast approaching event on your radar - there's nothing but possibility awaiting you.

-Sarah

Resume and LinkedIn workshop TONIGHT

Hey everyone,

As we all know in our technological age the job hunt and networking process are inevitably becoming more and more digital. This is why we're combining two crucial concepts - resume writing and online networking - into one jam-packed information rich workshop. Don't know what LinkedIn is? Never had your resume critiqued by anyone else? This workshop is for you!

Don't forget: Tonight, 2/10/11, at 5pm in Fromm Hall, Maier Room. 

Learn how to write and properly format your own winning resume, and then learn how to best used LinkedIn to your career advantage (including information on the new 6,000+ member USF LinkedIn group - helloo networking!)

Be LinkedIN or LeftOUT.

See you there,
Sarah

Say Bye-Bye to Mommy and Daddy

Hi everyone,

I'm not one to squander any opportunities that come my way.  As my December 2010 graduation approaches, you can be sure that I won't be refusing to shake hands and network.  But however fearful I am of failure and rejection, I know I can't lean on my parents.  They've helped me get this far- now it's my job to...get a job!  That means I'm going to be networking till my wrist is sore from shaking so many hands, my fingers bruised from typing up cover letters, and my throat raw from interviewing until I get that job.

However, if my parents were to ask me one day if I wanted to meet so-and-so because their company needs interns, I'm definitely going to jump at that chance.  Even if their company is a part of an industry I'm not majoring in, I'm not gonna be closing any doors until I've explored all my options.  That doesn't mean that I'm going to wait for my parents to hook me up with a job through their connections, but I'd be open to it.

The point I'm trying to make here is this: you've got the skills and the tools after years of post-secondary education to get a job.  Just because the economy isn't doing so hot doesn't mean you have a free pass to let your parents take care of getting a job for you.

Best of luck,
Seghel

A Shout Out From a Graduating Senior

Say hello to Benji Canning-Pereira, a graduating senior with a glittering and fast-paced future ahead of him! Benji, a Graphic Design major, has worked at the Career Services Center for four years. While we’re sad to see him go, we’re also excited for what this young man’s future holds for him: lots of promise! The following is a brief overview of Benji’s plans, struggles, and hopes for the future.

After much hard work and determination, Benji got accepted into the top-notch Interactive Telecommunication Program at New York University. He started preparing his application materials during the Fall semester of this year. Preparation involved polishing up his portfolio of work, which he had been working on for about a year, gathering recommendations from a professor and a work colleague, submitting a financial aid application, and writing his letter of intent, which is arguably the most important and difficult piece of the puzzle to fulfill.

Benji’s tips for gathering recommendations are to ask people, such as your professors, mentors, and employers, early. Benji gave his contacts two months to write his recommendations before they were due. He also spent a considerable amount of time working on his letter of intent, which basically give a person the opportunity to explain why they want to go to graduate school and what their future plans are. He worked on his letter every other day for a month before getting it checked out at the Career Services Center and proofreading it a zillion times.

Since Benji is planning on moving to a different state, housing is also a concern of his. Some graduate programs, such as the one he applied to, do offer housing to students. However, it tends to be very expensive. It’s important to try to study the geography of the state you’re planning on moving to. You don’t want to end up on the opposite side of the state you’re moving to from your school, especially if transportation is really expensive.

The most critical piece of advice Benji offers is to go to open houses and check out the school, especially for smaller and more competitive programs. The more you know about the program, the easier the essay writing can become. Talking to actual students or graduates of the program also makes a big difference. However, if you do plan on checking out the school, check with your professors about missing classes and assignments, especially if it requires traveling to different states.

Best of luck to all graduating seniors, and I hope this helps the rest of the student body figure out how to plan for grad school!

Seghel

Look for a Job in a Recession Highlights

Here's the PDF Seghel created based on highlights from the "Looking for a Job in a Recession Panel".

It's got some of the best questions asked that night, as well as direct quotes of the responses from the panelists themselves. Really worth a look!

Check it out here

Looking for a Job in a Recession Panel

Good news for those stressing about finding a job in this difficult economy. Next Wednesday, April 29^th, the Career Services Center will be holding a Looking for a Job in a Recession panel from 5:30-7pm in McLaren 252.

Come hear words of wisdom from a panel of experts on how to keep your cool during your potentially very trying job search. Government and Insurance recruiters, a Temp Agency Representative, a Financial Aid representative, and a Psychologist from the Counseling and Psychological Services Center will all take part, offering a range of different opinions about how to approach your situation.

Some sample questions to get an idea of what to expect:

“Who is hiring new grads right now in the Bay Area?”

“How do I make my loan payments if I truly can’t afford them?”

“Where are good places to meet people, professionally, off-campus?”

“How do I stand out?”

If you’re interested in these questions (and more), if you feel lost, confused, or anxious about your upcoming graduation date, if you're curious, or if you just want to be in a supportive environment, definitely come check out this panel.

Also, while there look out for our awesome career counselor Ellen Kelly Daley (who is hosting the event) as well as my fellow CPP Seghel. I’m sure they’d both be happy to meet you.

Hopefully we’ll see you there!

-Sarah

p.s. don’t forget to e-mail us if you’ve got any questions or comments: careerplanningpeer@usfca.edu